









* .. 



IP 





*^u 











Lll 











Class ~V2* S 


Book B 
Copyright N° 


COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



* 








I 


















V. 

* % 

■ V 

v4 r* 


v * 


* »<«• # 


. *• J 
* Wj 


>« «u 


V» '•♦ 


j --• 


•v. 


« 






*■ 





* 


r 


% 

























r i 















SHORT STORIES FOR 
LITTLE FOLKS 

BY 

CATHERINE T. BRYCE 



NEW YORK 

NEWSON & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 



Copyright, 1910, 

By NEWSON & COMPANY, 


1200 


to D.c.' 

. T-V\ 1 


©Cl A278139 


WITHDRAWN 

Public o <f> 

; MAY!! 1191V 

PUBLIC LIBRARY, 

Washington, ft. C- 

I 



While this little book of stories may be used as a 
supplementary first or second reader with any method, 
it is especially planned as a supplementary reader to be 
used with the “ Aldine First Reader ” : Chapter I of this 
book to be read after the pupils have completed the first 
three chapters in the “ Aldine First Reader,” and read 
2i while the pupils are studying Chapter IY of the “ Aldine 
^ First Reader ” ; the second chapter may be used as sup- 
^plementary reading while the pupils are mastering the 
iiflast chapter in the “ Aldine First Reader ” ; the remain- 
ing chapters of this book are to be read after the children 
have completed the “ Aldine First Reader.” 
q In addition to the words used in the “ Aldine First 
j Reader,” about seventy new words are introduced into 
this book. These words will be readily mastered, as they 
... are genej^JJy e$ier the names of characters in the stories-** v 
| or purely* phonetic words, many of which have occurred i 

iii 


in the phonetic series already studied. In all cases the 
words are repeated so frequently that pupils can hardly 
fail to master them with little or no formal drill. For 
these reasons, a list of the new words has not been given 
at the top of each story. 

The stories in this book all contain much conversa- 
tion, — a real aid in securing expressive reading. In 
writing and adapting the material, stories have been 
selected that may be readily dramatized by the children. 

In short, the object has been to give the children an 
easy reader' containing interesting, complete stories that 
can be read and enjoyed with little or no mechanical word 
drill. 


iv 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

A Night with Santa Claus ....... 1 

Santa Claus’s Home 3 

Santa Claus’s Sleigh . 7 

Santa Claus’s Helpers . . ... . . .10 

Santa Claus’s Present 14 

A Visit to Mother Goose ....... 19 

A Letter to Santa Claus . . . ... .25 

In Garden and Woodland 29 

The Little Acorn 31 

What the Wind Said ........ 39 

The Robin’s Nest 44 

The Wood Friends 47 

The Happy Squirrel 55 

“The Friendly Beasts, our Brothers” .... 61 

The Camel and the Pig 63 

The Man and the Acorn ....... 69 

What frightened the Animal . . . . .71 

The Mouse who was Afraid 78 

The New Home 83 

A Peep into Fairyland 91 

The Little White Flower 93 

The Moss Rose 106 

The Pail of Gold 113 

The Sandman .119 


v 





































































i 






























’ I I I 














































































































\i/ vl/ 

EMEMBER TO 

WASH 

«</ K * 

ifc Of 

iAi iL 

YOUR HANDS BE- 

FORE YOU 

READ 

*****<* 

THIS BOOK : 





9 




It was just before Christmas. 

Santa Claus had been busy for a long 
time 

In ed, he had been busy all the year. 

Am ' now he was still busy. 

Jhst think of all he had to do! 

“ There are so many, many boys and 
girls,” he said. 

“And they all want Santa Claus to 
come to their homes. 

“And I like to go, for I love the girls 
and boys.” 


3 


“Yes,” said Mrs. Santa Claus, “you 
do love them all. 

“I think you are just as happy at 
Christmas ' time as they are.” 

“Indeed I am,” answered dear old 
Santa. 

“What would they do without me? 
“Who brings them the good things 
at Christmas? 

“Who but 
Santa Claus? 

“I tell you 
what it is, 

Mrs. Santa 
Claus, the 

boys and the girls all love me.” 

4 





“ It must be time for me to 
go," said Santa. 

“I will run out and feed my reindeer. 
“ They have a long way to go to-night. 
“When I come back we will get all 


the good things into the sleigh. 


jj 


SANTA CLAUS’S SLEIGH 


“My!” said Santa Claus, “it is a 
cold night. 

“Hark! do you hear the wind? 
“Come quick, Mrs. Santa Claus. \ 
“We must get all these things into 


the sleigh. 

“Then off to the world I go. 

“How my reindeer will rush oyer the 



7 


Then away ran the reindeer. 

Down, down to the world they went. 

“Good-by, Mrs.. Santa 



Claus,” said Santa. 

jK, “ I will be back in time 

^ for Christmas breakfast.” 


“ Good-by,” said Mrs. Santa Claus. 
“-JSTow for the chimneys!” said Santa 
Claus. 

“The boys and girls are all asleep in 
bed. 



8 


“But their stockings will be hung 
before the fireplaces. 

“Down the chimneys I will go. 

“ A ll the stockings will be full in the 
morning. 

“Then what happy boys and girls 
there will be. 


“Away, away, my 
little reindeer! 

“There are many, many 
stockings in the world to-night. 

“And we must fili them 
all before morning.” 




9 


V 



Santa Claus stopped at a 
big white house. 

The chimneys were big, too. 

So he was soon in the house. ^ 
A bright fire made a good light. 
Santa looked around. 

He saw so many playthings. 

There were dolls and tops and sleds 
and books. 

I cannot tell you all the things he saw. 

“My!” said Santa Claus. 

10 


“ The children in this house seem to 
have all the toys they want. 

“What can I give them? 

“Let me think! Yes, that is just 
what I will do. 

“I will give tnem something to do 
for others. 

,“ I will write a letter and tell them 
how they can help me.” 

Would you like to see the letter? 
Here it is. 

“My dear children: — 

“ Do you want to be happy on Christ- 
mas Day? 

“Will you do something for me? 

“I have many stockings to fill, 
u 


“ Sometimes I do not see all the houses. 

“So I shall leave some toys here. 

“ On Christmas morning you will see 
them. 

“But they are not for 
you. 

“ Will you play you are 
Santa Claus ? 

“Will you take 
them to some 
poor children ? 

“This will 
make the poor 
children glad. 

“ It will make 
me very happy. 



“And yon will be happy, too. 

“A very Merry Christmas from 
“ Santa Claus.” 

“There,” said Santa Claus, “that is 
the best Christmas for these children.” 

And Santa Claus was right. 

The children were 
glad to play Santa Claus. 

They took the toys 
to some poor children. 

How happy the poor little ones were! 

This was their first happy Christmas. 

The little Santa Clauses were happy, 
too. 

On Christmas night they said, “Mother, 
this is the best Christmas we have had.” 



13 


SANTA CLAUS’S PRESENT 



your stocking to-night, Jack? 

Jack. Yes, indeed! Aren’t you? 
Tom. Yes, but — 

Jack. But what ? 

Tom. For many years Santa Claus 
has been bringing presents to us. 

Jack. Yes, that is so. 

Tom. He always brings us something. 

14 


Jack. Yes, always. 

Tom. Did he ever forget you? 

Jack. No; but why do you ask? 

Tom. Oh, I have been thinking of 
something. 

Jack. What have you been thinking/? 

Tom. I think it is time we gave 
Santa Claus something. 

Jack. Time we gave Santa Claus 
something ! What ? 

Tom. Just this, — a Christmas pres- 
ent. 

Jack. A Christmas present for Santa 


Tom. That is just what 
should have a good Chris 
15 


Claus! Oood! 



Jack. But what, Tom ? Can you 
think of something good ? 

Tom. Yes, I think he would like 
some new bells. 



Jack. What would he do with bells ? 
Tom. Why, bells for his sleigh ! 
Jack. Yes, indeed! Why didn’t I 
think of that? 


16 



Tom. And let ns get some new bells 
for his reindeer, too. 


Jack. Good! good! Gome right away 
and get them. 

Tom. W e will hang the bells by our 
stockings. We will write a letter and 
leave it for him. 

Jack. What will you say in the letter ? 

Tom. I shall say, 

“Dear Santa Claus: — 

“ You have been very kind to us for 
a long time. 


17 


“You always give us Christmas pres- 
ents. 

“ This year we want to do something 
for you. 

“ So we give you these bells with our 
love. 

“Some are for your sleigh. 

“The others are for your reindeer. 

“We wish you a Merry Christmas. 

“ Your friends, 

“Tom and Jack.” 

Jack. Good ! good ! I know he will 
be glad. 

I am glad, too, that we can do some- 
thing for dear old Santa Claus. 


A VISIT TO MOTHER GOOSE 



Once the 
reindeer stopped 
on top of a big, big 
house. 

Down the chimney Santa crept, - 
0 so quietly ! 


He was soon standing before a big 
fireplace. 

“Hear me,” said Santa Claus, “how 
many children must live in this house! 

“ Just see all the stockings ! 

“I would like to know who 
lives here” 

“I do,” said a sweet voice. 

Santa Claus turned around. 

There was dear old Mother 
Gioose. 

“Yes,” she. said, “I live here with all 4 
my children. 

“ Do you see that little blue stocking ? 

“That belongs to my smallest child, 
Little Boy Blue. 



20 


* 



“ You know him, do you 
not?” 

“ Yes,” said Santa, “he is 
the boy who let the sheep 
go into the meadow. 

“What does he want?” 



“He wants a new blue 
horn.” 

“Here it is; who comes 
next?” 

“The next stocking be- 
longs to Bo-Peep.” 

“Oh, I know her. 

21 





* 


‘Little Bo-Peep has lost her sheep.’” 

“ Yes, and she wants some new 
sheep,” said Mother Goose. 

“Here they are; into the stocking you 
go, little white sheep. What next ? ” 

“ That stocking belongs to little Jack 
Horner. 

“ You have heard about him, I think.” 

“ Indeed I have. 

‘Little Jack Horner 
Sat in a corner, 

Eating a Christmas pie.’ 

“I think I know what he wants. 

“I will put this big Christmas pie 
here for him.” 


22 



It took Santa Claus a long time to fill 
all Mother Goose’s children’s stockings. 
He never could have done it alone. 
Mother Goose helped him. 

23 


And at last all were full up to the 
top. 

u Thank you, Mother Goose,” said 
Santa 5 “you have been a good helper.” 

“ I am glad I helped you,” said 
Mother Goose. 

“ I know how pleased all my children 
will be in the morning. 

“I wish you could see them when 
they look into their stockings. 

“ I thank you, good Santa Claus, and 
wish you a Merry Christmas.” 

“ Merry Christmas, dear Mother 
Goose,” said Santa. 

Then up the chimney and away he 
went ! 


‘24 



All night long Santa Claus 
had been very busy. 

He had crept quietly down 
many chimneys. 

Nearly all the stockings in 
the world were full. 

At last he came to a very little house. 

Down the chimney he went. 

“I have not been in this house be- 
fore,” said Santa. 



25 


“Let me see! Are there no stock- 
ings here?” 

Santa looked all around. 

“Yes, here are two. Just see this 
little one close to the chimney. 

“What a tiny stocking it is! 

“ It must belong to a very tiny baby. 



“ Why, what is this in the stocking ? 
“ A letter ! Let me see what it says.” 
Santa took the letter from the stocking. 
Would you like to hear what it said ? 
26 


Well, listen. 

“Dear Santa Claus:— ■ 

“This stocking belongs to our new 
baby. 

“He is just three days old. 

“ I hung his stocking here because I 
love him. 

“Dear Santa, do leave him a nice, 
warm hood. 

“ And, Santa Claus, I would like a 
red sled. 

“I would like a horn, too. 

“I think I want a blue horn. 

“Then I can be Little Boy Blue. 

“ G-ood-by, dear Santa Claus. 

“ With love from Tom.” 


27 


“ Good ! ” said Santa Claus. 

“Here is the hood for baby. 

“Here is the red sled for Tom. 

“And here is a blue horn. 

“How I have filled all the stockings 
in the world.” 

Up the chimney went Santa Claus. 

Into his sleigh he jumped. 

“Away, away, my little reindeer!” 
he called. 

“Back to Mrs. Santa Claus and break- 
fast: 

“ I know all the children will be happy 
to-day.” 



28 


INGARB&N 

andW^ oodland 



29 





t 






30 










A tiny acorn grew on a high bough 
of an old oak tree. 

All summer it grew there. 

The old oak was good to her baby 
acorn, for she loved her dearly. 

But the acorn did not love the old 
tree. 

“I want to leave this old bough,” 
she said. 

“Are you not safe on your high 
bough?” asked the old tree. 


31 


“Yes, but I do not want to stay 
here,” said the little acorn. 

“ I want to go away* 

“I want to play with the birds. 

“I want to go to the ground.” 

“Stay on the bough a little longer,” 
said the old oak. 

“JS’o, no ! I want to go to the ground 
n<jvy” said the little acorn. 

“ Do to the ground ? ” said the old 
tree. 

“Do you want the squirrel to get you 
for breakfast ? 

“ Stay where you are, my little acorn.” 

But the acorn could not be glad. 

“ I am tired of this old tree,” she said. 



“ There is no one to play with me.” 
“I will sing to you, little acorn,” said 


a bird. 

The bird made sweetest music for the 
acorn. 

“Go away, bird!” she said. 

“I do not like your singing.” 

The little bird flew away. 

33 


“I am cold, so cold,” said the acorn. 
The bright sun looked out. 

He loved the little acorn. 

“I will warm her,” he said. 

So the bright sunshine came to the 
tree. 

The little acorn grew warm. 

“Gro away!” she said. 

“I am too warm. 

“I am melting.” 

The sunshine went away. 

“ I am so warm ! ” said the little acorn. 
“I will make shade for you,” said 
the leaves. 

“I do not want your shade,” said the 
acorn. 


34 


“Go away!” 

Then night came. 

The little stars looked down on the 
acorn. 

“Look up, little acorn,” they said. 
“See how brightly we are shining. 
“Are you not glad to see us?” 

But the acorn said, “IN’ o, I am not 
glad ! 

“Go away!” 

So the little stars went to sleep. 
Along came the wind. 

He swayed the boughs on the tree- 
top. 

“Go to sleep, little acorn,” he said. 
“I will sing you a sweet song. 

35 



“ Rock-a-by, acorn, on the treetop, 
When the wind blows, the acorn 
will rock, 

When the bough — ” 

“Stop, stop!” said the acorn. 

“I do not want to be rocked. 


36 


“I do not like your song. 

“Go away, you old wind! 

“I do not like you.” 

The wind did not like to hear the 
acorn say this. 

So he blew a lohd blast. 
“Oo-oo-oo!” he blew. 

“You do not like my sweet song! 
“How do you like this loud one? 

“ Oo-oo-oo-oo ! 

“You do not like me! 

“Then I will not like you! 

“ I will break you from your high 
bough.” 

Again he blew and again! 
“Oo-oo-oo! Oo-oo-oo!” 


37 


Down came the little acorn — clown, 
down, down to the ground. 

“I do not want to go to the ground!” 
she called. 

“I want to stay on my good old 
mother tree.” 


But she could not stay. 

All night she rested on the ground. 
In the morning some one found her. 



38 


Do you know who it was? 

Yes, it was an old squirrel. 

He took her to his nest in the old 
oak tree. 

And that was the last of the little 
acorn. 



WHAT THE WIND SAID 

One day the wind blew into a beauti- 
ful garden. 

It was a warm day in summer. 


39 



The sun had been shining brightly. 


There had been no rain for days and 
days. 

So all the blossoms were glad when 
they heard the wind. 

How cool and sweet it felt! 

“ Come to me,” called the tall white 
lily. 

“I love you, dear wind.” 

40 


The wind blow to the lily. 

“ I will tell yon some good news,” he 
said. 

“ Oo-oo-oo ! ” he sang. 

“ Thank you for your glad news,” 
said Lily. 

“What did you tell Lily?” said Rose. 
“Tell me, too.” 

“ I will,” said the wind. 

Then he blew over to the rose. 
“This is my glad news,” he said. 

“ Oo-oo-oo!” 

“Good! good! good!” said Rose. 

“ I know what you mean. 

“And I am so glad!” 

Then the wind blew to the daisy. 


41 


“Dear Daisy,” he said, “do you not 
want to hear my good news?” 
“Indeed I do,” said Daisy. 

“What* is it?” 

Again the wind said, “ Oo-oo-oo ! ” 
“How glad I am!” said Daisy. 

“ That is the best news you could 
bring to the garden.” 

The wind blew from flower to flower, 
telling the glad news. 

And all the blossoms swayed with 

j°y- 

But all that I could hear was, 
“ Oo-oo-oo ! ” 

Now what do you think the wind 
said to the sweet blossoms? 


42 


I think I know. 

And I will tell yon. 

“ Look up ! look up ! lie said. 
“The rain is coming. 

“ Be glad ! be glad ! be glad ! ” 



43 


THE ROBIN’S NEST 


It was a bright spring morning. 

Robin Redbreast flew into the garden. 

He looked all around. 

He looked up. 

He looked down. 

“What are you looking for, Robin?” 
said Rose. 

“ I am looking for a place to hide my 
nest,” said Robin. 

“Hide it under my big leaves,” said 
Lily. 

“ I will shade your , little birds.” 

“ Ho,” said Robin, “ That is too 
near the ground. 


44 


“It will not be safe.” 

“Would yon like to hide it under 
my flowers?” said Rose. 

“I will cover your nest with my 
sweet blossoms and buds.” 

“ Thank you, Rose,” said Robin. 

“ You, too, are near the ground.” 

“Fly right up here,” said the old 
apple tree. 

“ This big bough is the best place for 
a robin’s nest. 

“My leaves and sweet blossoms will 
shade you. 

“Here you will be safe.” 

“Thank you, dear Apple Tree,” said 
Robin. 


45 


“ I will hide my nest in your tall 
branches. 

“There I will be safe.” 



Robin and his little mate set to work. 


Soon the nest was all made, and the 
little mate was seen covering the eggs 
with her soft breast. 

Then how happy Robin was ! 

46 


He flew to the highest branch of the 
apple tree and sang a glad song. 

“ Cheer up! cheer up! and listen to me! 
For I sing a song that is full of glee ! 

“ The flowers are fair in the garden — 
Rose, lily, and all the rest, 

But the fairest thing of all, I think, 

Is my own deaf little nest. 

“ Cheer up ! cheer up ! and listen to me ! 
For I sing a song that is full of glee!” 

THE WOOD FRIENDS 

Gne day little Tom went into the 
woods. 

“What a quiet place!” he said. 

47 


“ I tlynk no 
one lives here.” 

“Why do 
you think so?” he 
heard some one say. 

Tom looked around. 

He could see no one. 

Then he heard some 


one say, “Look down, 
look down, Tom. 




48 



Tom looked on the ground. 

He saw a little violet. 

“• Why do you think no one lives 
here?” asked the violet. 

“ Because I can see no one,” answered 
Tom. 

“Do you not see me?” asked the 
violet. 

“I live here and so do many of my 
friends.” 

“Who are your friends?” asked Tom. 

“Where are they?” 

“ Over there is my dear friend, the 
daisy,” answered the violet. 

“ Back of you is my friend, the dande- 
lion. 


49 



“ We are very happy here.” 

“ Do you live here alone with your 


flower friends ?” asked Tom. 

“Oh, no! We have many other 
friends. 

“ In the morning the bright sun 
wakes us. 

“ 1 W ake, little flowers,’ he says. ‘ It 
is day.’ 


50 


“ Then the birds wake and sing to 


“Where do the birds live?” asked 


^om. 


“ Robin lives in the tall tree over 
there. 

“ Blneb' 1 lives in that old oak tree,” 
answer 



sweet 


music. 

“A dear mtie squirrel lives in the 
oak tree, too. 

“He is always happy. 

“ Sometimes he plays in the trees. 

“ Sometimes he looks for nuts under 
them.” 


51 


\ 



t 4 * . £ j p 

“Do you like + >' r hen the 


sun has gone awa r 
“Yes/' ansvY ' > 



52 



“ When the sun has gone, dear 
mother moon shines down on us. 

“The baby stars look, down, too. 

“ Then we close our eyes and go to 
sleep.” 

“That is all very 
well in the summer,” 5 
said Tom. 

“ But what do you 
do when sw rimer 
is over and winter 
comes ? ” 

The violet an- 
swered, “Then the 
trees are our 
good friends. 


“ They cover us with leaves. 

“ Then the snow comes and covers 
us warm. . 

“We sleep all the cold winter long. 

“ In the spring we wake from the 
long winter sleep. 

“ So you see we are happy all through 
the year.” 

“ Indeed you are, you dear little 
violet,” said Tom. ' 

“I am very glad I saw you. 

“ISTow I must go to my dear home. 

“Good-by, dear little wood friend.” 

“Good-by, little boy.” 


54 


THE HAPPY SQUIRREL 

One bright morning in winter, Tom 
went out to play. 

“ I think I will go to the woods 
again,” he said. 



55 


“The flowers were bright. 

“ The birds were singing.” 

So away to the woods he went. 

The trees were bare. 

He could see the birds’ old nests. 
The ground was covered with snow. 
The flowers were asleep under the 
white cover. 

“How quiet it is,” said Tom. 

“I think all the wood friends are 
asleep.” 

As he said this he heard a sound back 
of him. 

“ Chip, chip ! Chip, chip ! ” 

“Who can that be?” said Tom. 

He looked around. 

56 


On the bough of a tree 
he saw a little squirrel. 

“ Chip, chip ! Chip, 
chip ! ” said the 
squirrel again. 

“ Good morning, 




friend squirrel,” said 
Tom. 

“Do you live here 
all winter ? ” 

“Yes, I 
do,” an- 
swered the 
squirrel. 



57 


“Are you not cold?” asked Tom. 
“Cold? Are you cold in your home?” 
asked the squirrel. 

“ISTOj” answered Tom, “but I have a 
warm home.” 

“And so have I,” answered the 
squirrel. 

“I love my little home. 

“ I stay in it all winter.” 



58 


“ But, little squirrel, there are no 
nuts.” 

“ No, there are no nuts on the. ground 
for me. 

“ But I was busy last fall. 

u I have all the nuts I ' want.” 

“Is that why you are happy, little 
squirrel?” 

“ Yes,” answered the squirrel. 

“I am .happy because I have many 
nuts. 

“I am happy because I have a warm 
home. 

“ But I must run away to my nest, * 
little boy.. 


59 



“ Come and see me some other day.” 

“I will, little squirrel. 

“Good-by,” said Tom. 

“Good-by, good-by, little boy.” 

60 




ik friendly msis, 

OUR. mOMR5 “ 



61 


* 



i 


i. 







62 










THE CAMEL AND THE PIG 

Once upon a time there lived a camel 
and a pig. 

They were good friends. 

The camel was very tall. 

He had a big hump on his back. 

He was proud of his big hump. 

The pig was very short. 

He had a little twisty tail. 

He was very proud of his twisty tail. 
One day the camel said, “ The best 
thing in the world is to be tall. 

“Just see how tall I am!” 

And he looked very tall and very 
proud. 

“That is not so,” said' the pig. 

63 


“The best thing in the world is to 
be short. 

“Just see how short I am!” 

And the pig looked just as proud 
as the camel. 

“Well,” said the camel, “come with 


me. 

“I will soon prove that it is better 
to be tall than short. 



“If I do not, I will give yon my big 
hump.” 

“Very .well,” answered the pig, “I 
will go with you. 

“ But I shall soon prove that it is 
better to be short than tall. 

“ If I do not, I will give you my little 
twisty tail.” 

“Very well,” said the camel. 

“Just so,” answered the pig, and off 
they went down the road. 

Soon they came to a garden. 

There was a low wall around it. 

The gate was closed. 

The camel was so tall he could look 
over the wall. 


65 


He ate- all the plants he wanted. 

The little pig could not get a bit. 

“ I have had a good breakfast/’ said 
the camel. 

“ You have had none 
because you are so 
short. 

“How, is it not 
better to be tall 
than short?” 

“ Wait,” an- 
swered the pig. 

“My turn 
will come. 

“ Our walk is 
not ended.” 



66 



Soon they came to another garden. * 

This garden had a high wall around it. 

There was a very low gate. 

The little pig ran in through the 
low gate. 

But the camel was too tall. 

He could not get through the gate. 

It was too low. 

He could not look over the wall. 

It was too high. 

The little pig ate and ate. 

But this time the camel did not get 
a hit. 

When the little pig came out, he said, 
“Now which is better — to be tall or 
to be short? 


67 


“ I had all the fresh food I wanted. 
“You did not get a hit.” 

“ \Y ell/-’ -said | the camel, “ sometimes 
s better to be tall. 

“Sometimes it is better to be short.” 
~~ — -YJust so/’ said the pig. 

“So IwilYfeee p my twis ty" tail.” 
“Do so,” said the camel, “and I will 
keep my hump.” 

And the two friends went home, say- 
ing over and over, 

“Tall is good, where tall would do, 
Of short, again, ’tis also true.” 


— Indian Fable. 


THE MAN AND THE ACORN 


One day a man sat under a big oak 
tree. 

■ 

He looked up Into the tree and saw 



69 


Some big pumpkins were growing 
on it. 

“Just look,” he said. 

“That little, tiny vine has big, round 
pumpkins growing on it. 

“This big, strong oak tree has only 
little, tiny acorns growing on it. 

“I think it would be better if big 
pumpkins grew on big trees, and little 
acorns on little vines,” 

Jnst as he said this an acorn fell. 

It hit him right on the top of liis head. 

He jumped up. 

“My,” he cried, “how glad I am that 
pumpkins do not grow on trees!” 

— An Old Fable. 


70 


WHAT FRIGHTENED THE ANIMAL 


Long, long ago in a dark woods a 
great oak tree fell to the ground. 

It made a great noise. 

The noise frightened a little rabbit 
that lived near. 

He rushed quickly 
away through the 
woods. 

On his way he 
met a monkey. 

“What is the matter, little rabbit? 

“Why do you run so fast?” said the 
monkey. 

“Oh, monkey, I just heard a loud 
noise and I am running away.” 

71 



This frightened the monkey. 

He turned and ran after the rabbit 
as fast as he could go. 

Before long they met a deer. 

“My friends, why do you run so 
fast?” asked the deer. 

“ Oh, friend deer,” answered the mon- 
key, “there was a loud noise back there 
in the woods. 

“.We are frightened and are running 
away.” 

On hearing this the deer became 
frightened, too. 

He turned and ran after the rabbit 
and the monkey as fast as he could go. 

Next they met a great big elephant. 

72 ' 


“My friends,” said the elephant, “why 
do you run so fast?” 

“Oh, elephant,” said the deer, “there 
was a loud noise back there in the 
woods. 

“ We are frightened and are running 
away.” 

On hearing this the elephant became 
frightened, too. 

He turned and ran after the rabbit, 
the monkey, and the deer, as fast as he 
could go. 

After a while they met an old lion. 

“My friends,” said the lion, “why do 
you run so fast?” 

“Oh, lion,” said the elephant, “there 

73 


was a loud noise back there in the 
woods. 



“But why do you run away?” asked 
the lion. 


“Are you not all strong in claw and 
strong in tooth?” 

“ But it was a very, very loud noise ! ” 
they cried. 


74 


“What made the noise?” asked the 
lion. 

“I do not know,” answered the 
elephant. 

“Then why do yon run?” asked the 
lion. 

“Let us find out where the noise 

came from. 



“The deer told me,” said the elephant. 

75 


“Who told you, deer?” asked the 
lion. 

“ The monkey told me,” answered the 
deer. 

“Oh, monkey, who told you?” 

“ The rabbit told me.” 

“ And who told you, little rabbit ? ” 



“Oh, I heard the great noise with 
my own ears. 

“Come, and I will show you the 
place.” 

So the lion, the elephant, the deer, 
and the monkey all followed the rabbit 
back into the woods. 

Soon they came to the old oak tree. 

“This, my friends,” said the rabbit, 
“is what fell and made the loud noise.” 

“Oh, my friends,” said the lion, “this 
is not a sound to fear. 

“Those of a brave heart will never 
run from a falling tree.” 

— Tibetan Tale. 


77 


THE MOUSE WHO WAS AFRAID 


Once there was a little gray mouse. 
He lived in the same house as an old 


gray cat. 



78 


“ I am afraid of her all the time. 

“ I wish I were a cat.” 

A fairy heard the little mouse say 
this. 

She felt sorry for him. 

So she turned h im 
into a big gray cat. 

At first he was 
very happy. 

But one day a dog 
ran after him. 

a 0h, dear!” he said, “it is not much 
fun to be a cat. 

“ I am afraid of that dog all the time. 

“ I wish I were a big dog.” 

Again the fairy heard him. 



She felt sorry for the old gray cat. 
So she turned him into a big dog. 
Once more he felt happy. 

Then one day he heard a lion roar. 
“ Oh, just hear that lion ! ” he cried. 
“ I am afraid when I hear him. 

“ It is not so safe to be a dog after all. 
“How I wish I were a lion. 

“ Then I would be afraid of no one.” 
Off he ran to the fairy. 

“Hear fairy,” he said, “please turn 
me into a big, strong lion.” 

Again the fairy was sorry for him. 
She made him into a big, strong lion. 
One day a man tried to kill the lion. 

Once more he ran to the fairy. 

80 



“What now?” asked the fairy. 
“Make me into a man, dear fairy,” 
he cried. 

“Then no one can make me afraid.” 
“ Make you into a man ! ” cried the 
fairy. 

“No, indeed, I will not. 


81 


“A man must have a brave heart. . 

“ You have only the heart of a mouse. 

“ So a mouse you shall become again, 
and a mouse you shall stay.” 

So saying, she turned 
him back into a little 
gray mouse, and 
away he ran to 
his old home. 



82 


THE NEW HOME 


There were once a ram and a pig 
that lived on the same farm. 

They were being fattened for killing, 
but they did not know this. 

So they ate their good food and grew 
fat. 

One day the farmer came and gave 
them some more food. 

“Eat all you can to-day,” he said, 
“you will not be here long. 

“ To-morrow we are going to kill 
you.” 

When the man had gone, the two 
friends looked sadly at each other. 

83 


“ What shall we do ? ” said the pig. 

“ I do not want to stay here and be 
killed” 

“ Let ns run away and build a home 
in the woods,” said the ram. 

“There is nothing like having a home 
of yonr own.” 


“ How can we ? ” asked the pig. 
“ The gate is closed.” 



84 


“Follow me,” said the ram, and he 
ran his horns against the gate and 
broke it open. 

Out rushed the pig and the ram! 

Away to the woods they ran. 

On their way they met a goose. 

“ Good day, my good friends,” said 
the goose. 

“Where are you going?” 

“ Good day to yon,” said the ram. 

“We are going to the woods to build 
a house to live in. 

“ There is nothing like having a home 
of your own, you know.” 

“That is true,” said the goose; “may 
I go with you?” 


85 


“ What can you do to help us build 
our house?” asked the pig. 

“ I can pick moss and stuff it into 
the cracks so that the house will be 
warm.” 

“Good,” said the pig; “you may 
come along.” 

After a while they met a little, rabbit. 

“ Good day, my good friends,” said 
the rabbit. 

“ Where are you going ? ” 

“ Good day to you,” said the ram. 

“We are going to the woods to build 
a house to live in. 

“ There is nothing like having a home 
of your own, you know.” 

86 


“ That is true,” said the rabbit ; “ may 
I go with you?” 

“What can you do to help us build 
our house ? ” said the pig. 

“With my teeth I can gnaw pegs, 
and with my paws I can hammer them 
into the wall. 

“ So you see I 
am a pretty good 
builder.” 

“Indeed you are,” 
said the pig ; “ so you 
may come along.” 

ISText they met an old cock. 

“Good day, my good friends,” said 
the cock. 



87 



“Where are you going?” 

“Good day to you,” said the ram. 

“ We are going to the woods to build 
a house to live in. 

“ There is nothing like having a home 
of your own, you know.” 

“ That is true,” said the cock ; “ so I 
will go with you if I may,” 

“ What can you do to help us build 
our' house ? ” asked the pig. 

“I am no builder,” said the cock. 

“ But it is not well to live in a house 
where there is no dog nor cock. 

“ If you take me, I will rise early in 
the morning and call you.” 

“ Good,” said the pig. 

88 


“ I always sleep late in the morning. 

“If you call us we can get to work 
early, so you may come along.” 

Soon they came to 
'woods and began to b 
their house. 

The pig felled the 
trees and the ram 
brought them home. 

The rabbit was .ly 
the builder. ifc. 

He gnawed 
pegs and ham- 
mered them 
into the 
walls. 



The goose picked moss and stuffed it 
into the cracks. 

This made the little house warm. 

Every morning the cock called them 
so that they were at work early. 

Soon the house was done and they 
all lived in it. 

“Now the farmer cannot kill us,” 
said the ram. 

“Here we are safe and happy. 

“There is nothing like having a 
home of your own, you know.” 

“ That is true,” cried all the others. 

“East or west, 

Home is best.” 


90 


— Norwegian Folk Story. 






* 



91 

■ i • . * • 








% 


% 










Once in a land far away from here 
lived a beautiful queen. 

She was so kind and good that every 
one loved her. 

One day every one was talking about 
the queen’s birthday and the present 
each would give her. 

“I shall give our good queen a cup 
of shining gold,” said one. 

“For gold is the dearest thing in 
the world.” 

“ I shall bring her some golden honey,” 
said another. 


93 


“For honey is the sweetest thing in 
the world.” 

“ I shall give her a golden bird that 
sings the sweetest songs,” said another. 

“For music is the most joyful thing 
in the world.” 



94 


“ I shall give her some of my white 
sheep,” said another. 

“Their wool is the finest in the world.” 

And so, they all talked, every one tell- 
ing of some wonderful present he had 
for the queen, — all but little Tom. 

He turned away from the others. 

“Oh, dear!” he said. “I love the 
sweet queen better than they do, and 
I have nothing to give her on her 
birthday. 

“ If I only had something to give 
her to show my love!” 

Poor little Tom! He sat down and 
cried. 

All at once he looked up. 

95 • 


“ Oh, I know what I can do ! ” he cried. 

“I will take her some of the sweet 
white flowers that grow in the woods. 

“She shall have them with my love, 
and I know that love 
is the best thing in 
the world.” 

And with a smiling 
face he ran away to 
the woods. 



96 


But when he came to the woods, not 
a white flower could he see. 

There was only one little bud. 

Tom looked at it. 

“If only it would open,” he said, “I 
could take that. 

“ She would love even one dear white 
flower.” 

“Who would love the white flower?” 
asked a sweet voice. 

Little Tom looked up. 

There stood a beautiful fairy smiling 
at him. 

“My own dear queen,” answered 
Tom. 

“To-morrow is her birthday, and I 

97 


have nothing to give her.” 

“I am a queen, too,” said the fairy, 
“the queen of all the fairies, and I will 
ask them to help you. 

“Come here, little wind-fairies!” she 
called. 

Tom heard a soft rushing sound. 

Then he saw ever so many tiny 
fairies. 

They bowed low before their queen. 

“Wind-fairies,” she said, “blow upon 
this little bud. 

“It must be open for the queen’s 
birthday.” 

Then all the tiny wind-fairies blew 
upon the little bud. 

98 



At first they blew softly, then louder 
and louder. 

But the little bud only drew its leaves 
closer. 

“We cannot open the little bud,” 
said the wind-fairies, and they blevv 
away. 

“Rain-fairies, come here!” cried the 
fairy queen. 

Up rushed some little gray fairies. 

They bowed low before their queen. 

99 


“Rain-fairies,” she said, “open this 
little bud. 


“ It must be in blossom for the queen’s 
birthday.” 



The little rain-fairies sent the rain 
to the little bud. 

At first they sent a few big drops, 
then more and more. 


100 


But the little bud 
only drew its leaves 
closer. 

“We cannot open the 
little bud,” said the rain- 
fairies, and away they 
ran up the rainbow. 

“Sunshine-fairies, come here!” cried 
the fairy queen. 

Then Tom saw some beautiful little 
fairies. 

They were all shining and golden 
like the sun. 

They flitted before their queen. 

“Sunshine-fairies,” she said, “shine 
upon this little bud. 

101 




The little sunshine-fairies began to 
smile at the little bud. 


The little bud moved. 

The sunshine-fairies smiled more 
sweetly. 


102 


The little bud looked up. 

Still the sunshiiie-fairies shone upon 
her. 

The little bud could keep closed no 
longer. 

She opened her blossom 
wide and smiled right into 
the faces of the 
sunshine-fairies. 



103 


“There, Tom,” said the fairy queen, 
“your sweet white flower is open. 

“Take it to your dear queen” 

Tom thanked the fairies and took 
the flower home. 

Next day he gave it to the queen. 

“ 0 queen,” he said, “ my gift is 
small, but my love is very great.” 

The queen looked at the sweet 



104 





flower, then at little Tom’s bright face. 


“Dear little Tom,” she said, “I love 
your present most of all. 

“For I know that love is the best 
thing in the world.” 

105 


jCf>e Qoss i^ose 



night 


One 

the queen of 
the fairies flew 
among the flowers. 
It was a very dark night. 

The moon and stars were hidden 
behind a dark cloud. 

The wind blew and the rain fell. 

“I will see which of the flowers are 
good and kind,” said the fairy. 

So she flew to a tall lily. 

“Dear lily,” she said, “please open 
your blossom and let me creep in. 

“I am cold and wet. 


106 



“Let me stay 
night with yon.” 

But the lily an- 
swered, “No, indeed! 

“ Go away at once l 

“You cannot stay 
in my blossom.” 

Next the fairy flew 
to a bright poppy. 

“Bright poppy,” she 
said, “please open your blossom and let 
me creep in. I am cold and wet. 

107 



“Let me stay all night with you.” 
But the poppy looked down proudly. 
“Let you sleep in my blossom! 



>“Ho, indeed! 
i “Go away from here.” 
fa The little fairy flew away. 

She went from flower to flower, but 
none would take her in. 

At last she thought, “How very 
unkind the flowers are! 

“Hot one will let me in out of the rain. 

“I will go back to fairyland.” 

Just then she heard a little voice say, 

“You poor little thing, where are you 
going ? ” 


108 



She looked down and saw it was 
some soft green moss that was talking. 

“I am looking for some place to stay 
all night,” she said. 

“I am so tired and cold and wet!” 

“Poor little thing!” said the moss 
again. 


109 


“Yon might rest all 
night on me. 

“I am soft, but I 
cannot hide you 
from the rain.” 

“I can,” 
said a voice 
above their 
heads. 

The fairy 
looked up 
into the face of a sweet pink rose. 

“Creep into my heart,” said the rose. 

“I will keep you safe and warm all 
night long.” 

The tired little fairy crept into the 
no 



rose’s heart and slept sweetly all night. 
In the morning she flew out. 

“Bear moss and sweet rose,” she 
said, “ you have been so kind to me, 
I would like to do something for you. 

“You may make a wish and I will 
see that it comes true.” 

The moss and the rose thought for 
a while. 

Then the rose said, “Bear fairy, the 
moss and I love each other dearly. 

“We never wish to part. 

“Please let us always live close to 
one another.” 

“You shall have your wish,” said 
the fairy. 


111 


She kissed the moss. 

Then she kissed the rose. 

At once soft, green moss grew around 
the pink rose. 

It became the most beautiful rose 
in the garden. 

And so we got our first moss rose. 

If you will look at one, you will see 
how the moss rose-bud is covered with 
soft, green moss to this very day. 



112 



One night a poor man was on his 
way home from work when he met a 
beautiful lady. 


The lady was a fairy, but the man did 
not know this. 

“Good evening,” she said. 

The man bowed and answered, “ Good 
evening, my lady.” 

“ Why are you out so late ? ” she 
asked. 

“I am just going home from my 
work,” said the man. 

113 


“I have been cutting wood all day 
and I am very tired. 

“ I have to work from early morning 
till late at night to make a little money. 

“No one has to work so hard for so 
little money as I.” 

“That is too bad,” said the lady. 

“Would you like other work with 
more money.?” 

“Indeed I would,” said the man. 

“Or would you rather have money 
without working for it ? ” asked the lady. 

“ To be sure I would ! ” cried the man. 

The lady looked at the little pail in 
which he carried his dinner to the woods. 

“ If I were to till your pail with gold, 

114 


would you be 
happy ? ” 

“Happy!” cried 
the man, “ I cannot 
tell you how happy 
I would be ! ” 

“Or do you think 
you would want 
something more?” 
asked- the lady. 

“I am sure I 
would be happy. 

“I would want no more,” answered 
the man. 

“Look in your pail,” said the fairy. 
The man took off the cover. 



115 


It was full of bright, shining gold. 

“ Oh, thank you ! thank you, dear 
fairy,” he cried. 

For now he knew she must be a- 
fairy. 

Then he thought, “ This is such a very 
little pail! 

“It does not hold much money. 

“This will soon be all gone. 

“I wish I had a big pail here.” 

“Of what are you thinking?” asked 
the fairy. 

“I was thinking that this is a very 
little pail. 

“I should like to run home and get 
a big pail,” answered the man. 

116 


“As you wish,” said the fairy. 

Away he ran to his home as fast as 
he could go. 

Soon he came hack with a very big 
pail. But when he 
looked for the fairy, 
she was gone. 

“Anyway, I have 
my dinner pail full 
of gold,” he said. 

He looked in his 
dinner pail, which he 
had left with the 
fairy. 

There was no gold there. 

By wanting too much, he had lost all 
117 



the gold the fairy had given him and 
was as poor as before he met her. 

— Breton Folk Story. 





118 


THE SANDMAN 


“Come, Tom and Ned,” said mother, 
“it is time to go to bed. 

“ The sandman will be coming along 
soon.” 

“Oh, mother, please let us stay up a 
little longer,” said Ned. 

“I am not a bit sleepy.” 

119 


“I don’t believe there is any sand- 
man,” said Tom. 

“I never saw him.” 

“ Why, children, children ! ” cried 
mother. 

“How you do talk! 

“Ho sandman ! You never saw him! 

“Why, of course you never did. 

“Ho one ever sees the sandman. 

“ But he comes to you every night, 
just the same. 

“ And you feel his sand in your eyes. 

“Then your little eyes close, slowly, 
slowly, slowly, and soon you are fast 
asleep. 

“ Come, say c good-niglit ’ and run to 
120 


bod, or he will catch you on the 
way.” 

Tom and Ned said good-night 
and went up 
to bed. 



Ned was 
soon snug in his 
little white bed, but 
Tom sat by the window. 
121 


“Why don’t you get into bed, Tom?” 
asked Ned. 

“ I am going to sit up and wait for 
the sandman,” answered Tom. 

“Well, good-night, I am sleepy now,” 



122 


How quiet it was ! 

Tom listened, but not a sound could 
he hear but the old clock. 

“Tick, tock; eyes lock!” it seemed 
to say. 

The little boy rested his head on the 
back of his chair and looked out the 
window. 

The moon was shining brightly and 
the flowers in the garden swayed softly. 

“Tick, tock; eyes lock!” said the old 
clock over and over. 

Tom’s eyes were beginning to lock 
fast in sleep, when he saw something 
flitting in the. garden. 

He looked closely and saw that it 

123 



was an old, 
old, old, old man. 
There seemed to be a bright light 
around him, so Tom could see him very 
well. 

He wore a long gray cloak and a 
funny gray hat. 


124 



His hair was very long and very 
white. 


His face was beautiful; it was so 
kind and quiet. 

It made Tom feel rested just to look 
at it. 

On his back the old man had a big 
bag. 

From time to time he took a handful 
of something from this bag and threw 
it over the flowers. 



125 


In the moonlight it looked like fine, 
golden sand. 

As the old man passed, the flowers 
stopped swaying and were still. 

“Why, it is the sandman!” said Tom, 
softly. 

“And he is putting the flowers to 
sleep. 

“I never knew be- 
fore that he did that.” 

Just then the sand- 
man came walking to 
Tom’s window,— walking right through 
the air. 

In through the window he came and 
looked down at Tom. 



126 



His face was kind and smiling, but 
Tom was afraid. 


The sandman put out his hands and 
took the little boy up in his arms. 

u Why are you not in bed ?”■ he asked 
in a soft voice. 

“I waited up to see you,” said Tom. 

127 



“I do not like children to sit up 
late,” said the sandman. 

“ And I do not like to have them see 
me. 

“That is why I throw sand in their 
eyes. 

“Did you not know this?” 

“ Oh, yes,” answered Tom, “ mother 
told me.” 

“Then,”, said the sandman, and he 
smiled no longer, “ you have not minded 
your mother, and you have not pleased 
me. 

“ I must take you away to Poppyland. 

“ Come, we mustsgo at once.” 

“ Oh, no ! no ! ” cried Tom. 


128 


“Please do not 
take me away! 

“Please, please, 
let me stay with 
mother. 

“ I will never 
wait for you again. 

“ I will be good ! 

I will be good ! 

“0 please let me go ! ” 

And he threw his arms around the 
sandman’s neck. 

“ Wake up, my boy, wake up ! ” said 
a voice. 

“ You are having a pretty bad dream. 

“Wake up, I . say.” 

129 




It was his father’s voice. 

Tom opened his eyes ; he was in his 
father’s arms. 

“ Oh, I am so glad it is you, father ! ” 
he cried. 

“ I thought you were the sandman 
taking me away to Poppyland!” 

“Well, you see it is father taking 
you to bed, my boy. 

“ After this go to bed at once and do 
not sleep by the window. 

‘‘Then you will have good dreams 
about the sandman.” 

And Tom said he would. 






“Good-night, little friends, good-night. 
Sleep sweet till morning light, 

And wake to meet the coming day 
With love and laughter and with play.” 



131 






DEC 12 1910 


CHARGE FOR OVER-DETENTION TWO CENTS A DAY 

ITERATIONS OF THE RECORDS BELOW ARE STRICTLY PROHIBIT! 

DUE 

DUE 

DUE 

DUE 

DUE 













... 



. i 











- 




: 



























1 



- , 











U-V: • V 






* 

.^r; 

//\v£ 

V' 















•. \ i Hi hsJk * 
























T'. 


h 

,1 rv> 








' 


• • 





■ .» Si,; f*3W|' i 

J* 








































